Car roof



Jan; 3,1928. 1,654,573

C. D. BONSALL CAR ROOF Filed Dec. 13. 1925 Patented Jan. 3,1928.

UNITED kstares PATENT Ao1'=i=ioa.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANA, ASSGNOR TO P. E, MUR- IFHY COMPANY, OF NEVJ KENSNGTON, PENNSYLVANEA, CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

CAR ROOF.

Application tiled December 13, 1926. Serial No. 154,432.

This invention relates principally to'flexible car roots wherein metal root .sheets are loosely connected along their adjacent mar gins by weatherprooling seams that permit relative movement of said sheets to a limited extent so that they are enabled to accommodate themselves to the distortions ot the car frame.

rIhe principal object oi the present invention is an improved seam construction which will secure an independent sluing or oscillatory movement oi the 'root sheets about points located near their adjacent margins. AGther objects are simplicity, durability and cheapness of construction.

The invention consists principally in the seam construction hereinafter described; and it also consists in the parts and in the coinbinations and arrangements Vof parts herein# after described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is a plan view of a ridge portion ot a flexible outside metal roof provided with a ridge seam constructionembodying my invention; Fig. Q, the ridge seam on the line 2--2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the pivot pieces; y y. v Fig. l is a plan view of a modilied ridge seam construction; and n Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5s-5 vinltfigzt. 'y I .j Y,

Referring tothe drawings, the invention is illustrated in connection with a iiexible outside metal car roof comprising metal root sheets G resting onv the wooden sheathing 7, which is supported at the ridge on a vwooden ridge pole 8. 3yrThe metal root sheets 6 are varranged :in two rows, one on' each side of the ridge, the sheetson opposite sides oli the 1itlgebeing spaced apartyand the sheets on the saine side oi the ridge are loosely positioned between wooden mullions orbattens 9 arranged transversely of the oar and secured on the root sheathing 7.` y l l The side andV ridge margins ofthe root lsheets are bent up and are tliencenrebent inf wardly and downwardly over the body por-` tionsl ot thesheets to form. u-pstanding side and ridge marginal vseam flanges or ribs 10 f is a vertical crosssection throughv seam ianges or ribs 10 lof the roof'sheetsj and the battons located therebetween. The adjacent ridge seam flanges 11 ot said sheets are connected by means of inverted channelshaped ridge covers 13 that straddle said ridge seam flanges and have outstanding base tlanges e that rest on the body portions ot said sheets inside the ridge and side `seam flanges thereof. rlhe adjacent vends ot' the ridge seam covers 1.3 andthe side seam covers 12 are connected together and secured to the car by means of the usual four-way center corner caps 15 that are secured to the car by vertical bolts 16, which also secure the running board saddles (not shown) in position.

The body portion of each root sheet is pressed up near the ridge end otsaid sheet substantially midway of its side margins to torm an' upstanding conve'Xo-concave or crescent shaped bosser rib 18, which vis located inside the ridge seam cover and is arranged with its convex side facing the inside sur tace of the side flange thereof. 1 Located between 'thefspaced ridge flanges ot adjacent sheets substantially midway of the length ot their ridge flanges' and in line with the conveXo-eoncave or crescent bosses 18thereof' is a convexe-convex or lens shaped .ridge pie'ce'19. Said ridge piece preferably com- The ridge pivot piece 19 is rigidlyfsecured to the car by means of a vertical bolt 21 having its head portion seated in acircular depression 22 providedtherefor in the web yor top portiono'f said ridge pivot piece. The

j convex sides 28 of the conveXo-convexbridge piece are formed byibowin'g the side flanges th-ereo'fvoutwardly from end to end. The convex sides 28' of the ridge piece cooperate with the outer surfaces of the straight ridge flanges 11 ot adjacent sheets midway of their ridge ends; and the width of said ridge piece is such 'that when the convex 'sides of said ,ridge piece are in engagement with saidridg'e ends ot the sheets, the convex. sides of the crescent shaped bosseswin the bodies of iii said sheets are in contact with the sides of the ridge seam cover.

By the arrangement described, the sheets are adapted to accommodate themselves automatically to the distortions ofthe car frame which occur in service by a rocking movement of their ridge seam flanges on the convex sides of the ridge pieces or by a rocking movement of the convex surface of the crescent bosses on lthe side walls of the ridge seam covers. The roof sheets are also held against outward sliding movement by the crescent shaped bosses therein and are spaced apart at the middle of their ridge ends by means of the conveXo-convex or lens shaped ridge piece.

lnl the modified construction shown iii Figs. A and 5, the separate ridge vpivot pieces 19 are dispensed with and the ridge ends of' th-e adjacent sheets are spaced apart midway of their length by means of a circular pivot boss 2li pressed in the top or web portion of the channel-shaped yridge seam cover 13a. In order to prevent mois- -ture from accumulating in the depressionV formed by the circular pivot boss in the toa of the ridge seam cover said cover is a i a provided with drain channels 25, which eX- tend from side to side of the seam cover on opposite sides of said pivot boss and coinmunicate with said depression by means of' branch channels 2Gfr The top of the ridge seam flange of each sheet is provided with transverse grooves 27 which receive the transverse ribs formed in the under side of the cap by the transverse drain chann-els 25, said grooves being wide enough to permit their side walls to clear said ribs during the rocking movement of the crescent bosses and ridge flanges of the sheets on the sides and pivot boss, respectively,4 of theridge seamV cover. f

My invention is not restricted to the precise forms and arrangementsshown. lVhat claim is: l

l. A flexible car roof comprising rooili sheets spaced apart along vtheir adjacent' margins, a seam cover covering the spaced Hmargins of adjacent sheets, .and a pivot member secured to the car beneath said seam cover with its pivot portion disposed entirely between the opposing suri'acesl ot the v spaced margins of adjacent sheets, th-e opposite 'faces of said pivot member being shaped and arranged to contact with the opposed surfaces of the marginal edges ol adjacent sheets for a portion of their length only.

2. A flexible car roof comprising roof sheets spaced apart along their adjacent i margins, a seam cover covering the spaced margins ofl adjac-ent sheets, vand a ,pivot y member. secured to the car beneath said seam cover and disposed spaced margins of pivot member being entirely between the adjacent sheets, said shaped and arranged vmargins, and a seam cover straddlingsaid margins, said sheet-s being provided intermediate tlie length of their` adjacent margins with relatively short and narrow upstaiiding ribs that have convex surfaces that extend longitudinally of said yseam lcover and engage the sides thereof.

4t. A flexible' car roof comprising root sheets spaced apart along theirV adjacent margins, and a seam cover straddling said margins, said sheets being provided interk mediate the length of' their adjacent vmargins with upstanding ribsl that have convex surfaces that extend longitudinally of said seam cover and engage the sides thereof, and a pivot member secured to the barbeneath said seam cover and between the spaced margins of adjacent sheets, said pivot member being formed with convex surfaces that ext-end longitudinally of said margins and cooperate therewith.

5. A flexible car roof lcomprising roof sheets spaced apart along their adjacent margins and having upstanding flanges adjacent-seam flanges, and a pivot'meinber secured to the car and having a pivot portion .i

disposed entirely between the opposing surf faces of adjacent sheetflanges and having convex sides adapted to cooperate with said flanges.

6. A flexible car roof comprising roof sheets spaced apart along theiradjacent margins and having upstanding flanges extending alongk said margins, a seam'coverstrad-` dlingadjacent seam llanges,said sheets being provided with lconvex surfaces adapted to engage the sides of said seam cover, and a pivot member secured yto the car between adjacent sheet flanges and having` Vconvex sides adaptedto cooperate with said'flanges.

7. A flexible car roof comprising roof sheets spaced apart along adj acent4 margins, and having upstanding seam flanges along said margins, a seam cover secured to the car and stiaddling the seam flanges of adjacent sheets, and an inverted cl'iannel-shaped pivot member secured to the car between adjacent sheet flanges midwayo'f the length thereof and having convex'sides vcooperating there.- witli, said sheets beingprovided adjacent to Y said pivot'with upstanding bosses thatare .located inside Vof said seam cover andV are l ll) margins, and a seam cover secured to the car and straddling said inai'gins and having a' circularly bossed portion extending between said margins for cooperation therewith.

9. A fiexible car roof comprising i'oof sheets spaced apart along their adjacent margins, and having upstanding seamflanges along said margins, and a seam cover of substantially inverted channel-sliaped crosssection secured to the car and straddling said adjacent seam fianges, the top of said seam cover being provided with a down. wardly projecting circular boss which extends between said seam anges.

10. A fiexible car roof comprising roof sheets spaced apart along their adjacent margins, and having npstanding` seam fianges along said margins, and a seam cover of substantially inverted channel-shaped cross-section secured to the car and straddling said adjacent seam fianges, the top of said seam cover being providedwith a downwardly projecting circular boss 'which extends between said seam fianges, and said sheets'being provided opposite the bowed portion of said seam cover with upstanding bosses having convex surfaces adapted to cooperate with the sides of said seam cover.

11. A flexible car roof comprising roof sheets spaced apart allong their adjacent margins, and having upstanding` seam flanges along said margins, and a` seam cover of substantially inverted channel-shaped cross-section secured tothe car and straddling said adjacent seam flanges, the top of said seam cover being provided with a. downwardly projecting circular boss which extends between said seain flanges, and said sheets being provided opposite the bowed portion of said seam cover with upstanding 'bosses having convex surfaces adapted to cooperatewith the sides of said seam cover, the top of said seam cover being provided with drainage grooves that lead from the depressions formed in the top of said cover by said circular boss to the sides of said 12. A pivot member for flexible car roofs, said member comprising an inverted chaniiel-shaped'body whose opposing side walls are bowed outwardly from end to endV to form convex surfaces at the sides of said member, said member being provided with akcircular depression in the top of said seamcover, said seamv cover being provided with a drain channel whichfleads from said depression to one side of said seam cover.

Signed at New Kensington, Pa., this 4th day of December', 1926.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL. 

